SSC
In which Manipuri dance do the male performers play a drum while leaping and spinning?
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Answer: Option C — Pung Cholom
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Pung Cholom. Pung Cholom is a drum dance of Manipur, in which male performers play the pung, a barrel-shaped, two-headed drum, while dancing. It is one of the most energetic and spectacular dances of Manipur, and it is an important part of the Sankirtana tradition.
In Pung Cholom, the performers, dressed in white dhotis and white turbans, hang the pung from their shoulders with a strap and play it with their hands. As they play, they leap, spin, turn and crouch, sometimes jumping high into the air or whirling around rapidly, without missing a single beat. The dance shows the performers' great physical skill, balance and rhythmic precision, since they must coordinate complex drumming patterns with vigorous movements. Pung Cholom represents the vigorous, masculine aspect of Manipuri dance, called Cholom. It is usually performed as a prelude to the Ras Leela and to Sankirtana performances. It is also performed at religious ceremonies and festivals, such as Holi (Yaoshang), and at important life events. The pung is considered a sacred instrument in Manipur, and it is treated with great respect. The Sankirtana of Manipur, which includes the Pung Cholom, was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.
About the other options:
- Lai Haraoba is the ritual festival of the Meitei people that honours their traditional deities, and it is considered the earliest form of dance in Manipur.
- Thabal Chongba is the "moonlight dance" of Manipur, performed by young men and women in a circle during Yaoshang.
- Ras Leela is the graceful dance of Radha, Krishna and the gopis, which represents the gentle Jagoi aspect of Manipuri dance.
- None of these involves the dancers playing a drum.
💡 Exam tip
Link Pung Cholom with the pung (drum), men, Cholom (the vigorous aspect) and Sankirtana (UNESCO 2013). The Kartal Cholom (Nupa Pala) is the cymbal dance of the same tradition.💬 Discussions on this question
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Indian Dance Forms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Indian Dance Forms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
Indian dance forms are one of the most frequently tested areas of static GK. This topic covers the eight classical dances recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya), the folk and tribal dances of every state, and related terms such as mudra, abhinaya, lasya and tandava. Most questions ask which state a dance belongs to, which community performs it, or which feature identifies a classical style. Learn the classical dances with their state and one signature feature each, such as the face make-up of Kathakali or the brass plate of Kuchipudi. For folk dances, group them state by state, since exams often list three or four dances and ask for the common state. Watch for dances shared by more than one state, such as Chhau, which has three styles. Practise the Indian dance forms questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.